What is FIZZ?

We are a group of researchers and public health doctors who have come together to advocate for ending the sale of sugary drinks with poor health, including obesity, type-2 diabetes, rotten teeth, gout and other risk factors for cariovascular disease and premature death. We believe that the tide of evidence which implicates sugary drinks with these common diseases is so strong now that ending the sales of these products is justified. The group includes Dr Gerhard Sundborn (founder), Dr Rob Beaglehole (Dentist), Professor Rod Jackson (Epidemiologist), Professor Boyd Swinburn (Professor of Global Health), Dr Simon Thornley (Public Health Physician) and Associate Professor Tony Merriman (Geneticist).

FIZZ is working with schools, communities, food retailers, and the government to advocate for action to reduce intake of sugary drinks. Dr Sundborn, with Che Fu, has started a programme in the Kelston area, raising awareness among students. Further studies are planned. Dr Sundborn is also planning a series of conferences in which experts will share their views about the harm from excess sugar intake and propose strategies to eliminate the products from sale in New Zealand. We are developing this website as a resource for people seeking information and materials about this important subject.

What do we want to do?

We believe that sugary drinks are likely to be addictive, like coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.
Strategies that are likely to reduce and eliminate sales of sugary drinks are similar to those that have been successful for tobacco. These include:

raising the price of sugary drinks through taxes

restricting sales and advertising

implementing sugary drink free policies in workplaces and public institutions

legislating graphic warning labels on products.

We also need to closely monitor the sales and intake of these products to reach our goal of eliminating sugary drinks from New Zealand by 2025.